Letter 5016: I had every intention of making the journey, but the late summons left too little time to arrive.

The desire to set out on the journey was not lacking to me, but a tardy summons cut short the time for arriving, and for that reason it seemed more becoming to ask for leave than to arrive once the consul's office had been discharged. On this matter I some time ago dispatched the fullest letters both to our lord, the most merciful prince [emperor], and to the others who wished me to be present, letters which even now Festus, an agent in affairs [agens in rebus], delays by his hesitation in setting out. And because I fear that what I wrote may either lie suppressed and hidden, or be opened up and spoiled by my rivals, my plan was that we should send all the copies to you, my lord and my brother. [...] It will be a mark of your affection toward me to write back about the faithful handling of all matters. There shall also be delivered to you the little papers containing my household concerns, and when you have run through them, you will judge what the justice and good repute of better times require.

Votum mihi non defuit itineris ordiendi, sed tarda evocatio perveniendi tempus artavit, atque ideo verecundius visum est veniam poscere quam peracto consulis offi- 25 cio pervenire. supcr hoc plenissimas et ad d. n. clementissimum principem dudum litteras dedi et ad ceteros, qui me adesse voluemnt, quas etiam nunc Festus agens in 2 rebus proficiscendi cunctatione remoratur. et quia vereor, ne aut lateant suppressa, quae scripsi, aut per aemulos resoluta vitientur. consilium fuit, ut ad te dominum et curam M 5 pro qua Mercer 6 contemplatio corr. ex oomemplatio P 21 qf auf symmachi. u c. explicit ad magnillum inoip eiusdem ad efestionem P, om. VF 23 sym- macus efestioni P, om. F, ad magniUum F 24 adiendi V perueniendi ad effectionem tempus F fratrem meum exemplaria omnia mitteremus. erit tuae circa me adfectionis de omnium PVF rerum fidelitate rescribere. reddentur vobis etiam chartulae curas domesticas continen- tes, quis decursis aestimabitis, quid bonorum temporum iustitia et fama desideret. XXXV (xxxni).